The Importance of Phoning Around for Your Service

Staz

Staz

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The S3 is due it's 38,000 mile inspection service. Having had a good price from Milton Keynes Audi before, I gave them a call.

So the girl told me my car is due a new air filter, spark plugs and a Haldex oil change. I have Evoms so no air filter, the plugs aren't due until 57,000 miles according to my service manual but she was right about the Haldex oil. The price for the inspection service plus Haldex was apparently well over £300. I queried it and she put me through to her colleague who was a lot more knowledgeable and said her best price was £285.81.

I next phoned Bedford Audi. I told the girl I wanted the inspection service plus Haldex only and the price? £209.72. HUGE difference there.

I went back to the girl at MK and emailed her my quote as she was amazed they could do it so cheap. An hour later she's beaten the quote by about 3 quid AND they'll give it an 'executive' car wash AND they'll collect my car from my house and drop it off again! :laugh:

Back to Bedford and they have now matched the MK price, of course :faint: I reckon I could keep going but I need to book my car in on a specific day in the near future so I don't want to delay it any more.

So, whenever you're booking a service make sure you phone around AND have your service manual in front of you! :icon_thumright:
 
Glad you saved some dollar, but these kinda things really annoy me! Its the same with insurance:banghead:

Dave
 
Have to agree Dave, it pays to play one off against the other but you always come away thinking the first one, who then dropped his price was just trying to rip me off.
 
Staz said:
I went back to the girl at MK and emailed her my quote as she was amazed they could do it so cheap. An hour later she's beaten the quote by about 3 quid AND they'll give it an 'executive' car wash AND they'll collect my car from my house and drop it off again! :laugh:
Click to expand...

You mean they'll get some gimp to wash it with a sponge and drive it like he stole it.

No-one washes my car but me, ever. My dealer thinks I'm weird for always refusing the courtesy wash when it's in but frankly I don't give a toss :)
 
Vertigo1 said:
No-one washes my car but me, ever. My dealer thinks I'm weird for always refusing the courtesy wash when it's in but frankly I don't give a toss :)
Click to expand...

Same here, after the first time and they dented my bonnet with the pressure washer lance I refused to let them touch the car other than to fix it, they added notes to my file and after the third trip they didn't touch it. Price wise on service if you're lucky enough to live between dealers then def phone around, where I am I have no choice but have been known to book car in to another dealer when I'm travelling with work
 
Vertigo1 said:
You mean they'll get some gimp to wash it with a sponge and drive it like he stole it.

No-one washes my car but me, ever. My dealer thinks I'm weird for always refusing the courtesy wash when it's in but frankly I don't give a toss :)
Click to expand...

Indeed, there's a lovely new bypass opened between me and MK and I can just see them thrashing it there and back!

A4SLineJC said:
Same here, after the first time and they dented my bonnet with the pressure washer lance I refused to let them touch the car other than to fix it, they added notes to my file and after the third trip they didn't touch it. Price wise on service if you're lucky enough to live between dealers then def phone around, where I am I have no choice but have been known to book car in to another dealer when I'm travelling with work
Click to expand...

I wouldn't let that stop you. I once got a quote from York Audi and Bedford matched it. I just told them I worked up there, which I did at the time but they weren't to know that.

paddy said:
Have to agree Dave, it pays to play one off against the other but you always come away thinking the first one, who then dropped his price was just trying to rip me off.
Click to expand...

Normally I'd agree with you but the girl at MK was amazingly honest with me and seemed genuinely surprised that they could get the price that low. She was practically begging for my custom.
 
Executive car wash lmfao thats a new one
 
Staz, dont do the car wash....be cheeky and ask for some extra money off if you dont have it ;)
 
nilz18t said:
Staz, dont do the car wash....be cheeky and ask for some extra money off if you dont have it ;)
Click to expand...

Nah that was MK who were offering that and I'm booked in with Bedford who said that all cars get washed inside and out on a service anyway!
 
Its worth ringing around, did the same this week for my wife's clio and got a 3rd year service for £99.98 !!!!! from a Renault main dealer in Warwick ,and I was amazed they even washed it
 
doing them at their own game WTG Staz
 
audi upgrades
Staz said:
Nah that was MK who were offering that and I'm booked in with Bedford who said that all cars get washed inside and out on a service anyway!
Click to expand...

I'd still tell them not to wash it. It'll be someone on £6 an hour who doesn't give a monkeys, drags the hose across the car and has had the same bucket on the go all day.

Off topic but I actually worked on that dealers when it was being built!
 
Mine always get washed at the dealers (Docklands) and it looks mint every time after, never had a problem :) I guess depends how paranoid you are!
 
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